Hall of Fame
The Ropers Who Made a Difference.
Celebrating the Will Rogers alumni who have gone on to shape Tulsa, and the world, through their work, their service, and the lives they’ve touched.
Will Rogers has a long tradition of honoring its distinguished alumni at special ceremonies held over the years. The Hall of Fame was the Foundation’s first initiative, long before the Foundation’s mission grew to include direct support for today’s students. It remains the Foundation’s way of saying: this school produces people worth celebrating, and their stories are worth telling.
Each year, a new class of inductees is added, chosen by a selection committee from nominations submitted by the Will Rogers community.
Search below to explore inductees by name, year, or field of endeavor.
Class of Excellence
All Inductees
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Then
Now
David Rader
Athletics Named head coach at the University of Tulsa in 1988 at age 31, the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I football. View bio -
Then
Now
Donald “Babe” Chandler
Athletics Punter who won NFL championships with both the Giants and the Packers and retired after twelve professional seasons. View bio -
Then
Now
Gil Cloud
Athletics Raised nearly $100 million for Tulsa school athletic facilities and won three Oklahoma Athletics Director of the Year titles. View bio -
Then
Now
Gordon Morgan
Athletics Coached at Will Rogers from 1962 to 1988, winning four state baseball championships with a 502-198 career record. View bio -
Then
Now
Jay Thomas “Tommy” Evans
Athletics Two-time state champion wrestler who won Olympic silver in 1951 and coached Oklahoma to two NCAA national titles. View bio -
Then
Now
Jim Wixson
Athletics The only Will Rogers alumnus ever named All-American, and one of two pitchers to throw a College World Series no-hitter. View bio -
Then
Now
John Ward
Athletics All-American at OSU in football and wrestling, a first-round Vikings draft pick, later called "Mr. County Government." View bio -
Then
Now
Lee Mayberry
Athletics Led the 1988 Ropers to a state championship, scored 1,940 points at Arkansas, and played seven seasons in the NBA. View bio -
Then
Now
Barbara Hencke Thompson
Education Taught French in all 106 Oklahoma City public elementary schools and was named an Officer of the Legion of Honor. View bio -
Then
Now
Charles Kimball
Education Middle East scholar who met with the Ayatollah Khomeini at age 29 to help open talks during the Iran hostage crisis. View bio -
Then
Now
Charlotte Wilson Heth
Education Ethnomusicologist of American Indian music, UCLA professor emerita, and citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. View bio -
Then
Now
David Bynum
Education Cell biologist whose Institute for STEM Education at Stony Brook has reached more than 100,000 students to date. View bio
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Hall of Fame Nominations
Know Someone Who Deserves This Recognition?
The Hall of Fame honors Will Rogers alumni who have made extraordinary contributions to their field and to their community. Nominations are reviewed annually by our selection committee. To be considered for an induction class, a nomination must be submitted or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on August 31; later nominations may be held for the class after.
- Must be a graduate of Will Rogers High School (now Will Rogers College Middle and High School)
- Demonstrated excellence in their field of endeavor
- Positive impact on their community or society at large
Full eligibility requirements, the review timeline, and what to include in a nomination are outlined in our Nomination Rules and Procedures.
Nominations are closed for this year.
View Nomination Rules and Procedures (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
